|Location: Wasteland, Campsite|
-OMNISCIENCE-
Zero ran around through the trees near them, he smiled widely with his hand stretched out as he ran. He can't help but feel mischievous after what happened. After the incidents with the traps, he 'personally' set off, so now everyone can't help but to set their sights on Zero more tightly hoping he won't do something stupid 'again'. But it's hard to be serious about it when all they can only see is how he giggles while he runs around.
Nuk and Dia could only turn their eyes away, when Hansel tried to give them the 'what's wrong with him' look. Zero immediately stopped running when he noticed something in the corner of his eyes.
Just a few yards away, Zero noticed. Peeking through the darkness are glittering lights from afar, it made Zero excited just seeing it. He almost felt that he might have missed all of this if he were to say no back then. But he feels alleviated by his choice this time.
"Wow, are those the tents?" he said. Making a binocular out of his two hands. In his mind he can't help but see it as a flock of fireflies flickering from afar.
"They looked like fireflies from here."
Dia didn't know what Zero meant by that, she could only say what's on her mind and that's to raise her question for Zero to answer. "Fireflies?"
Looking at her, confused. Zero wondered, it wasn't the first time he said something that she was unable to understand. But it wasn't hard to think that somehow in a way it all traced back to SAI at some point. However, it didn't bother him that much now, after what happened not just long ago.
Though still wary something similar would happen, he decided to come up with different conclusions on his own this time. He has thought of numerous answers but the longer he thinks of it the more it sounded far from plausible, however there's one answer that he thought wasn't far from being a truth.
He immediately came up with a convincing answer for his question. Connecting the information, he got from Dia that pertains to how the world from long ago is different now. The best to show was the difference with Abu Dhabi and its current state. And with the 'apostle'. In his mind the earth was more of a peaceful place compared to where he is right now.
Zero tosses the notion that he might have reincarnated or even transmigrated from another world and sticks to the possibilities that whatever he knows is already a couple of thousand years old knowledge, the one he knows of are all that SAI gave to him. But that doesn't mean it's without use, just like the apostle he fought before it might help him with future encounters.
But also because of this he is conflicted if sharing what he knows would be a good choice or not.
"Hey, what are you thinking?" Dia clapped in front of him, snapping him back from his thoughts.
"Don't mind me." Zero replied, as he shoved his thoughts far back. Holding the idea for now.
"But because you asked me, I have a few questions."
Dia could only roll her eyes; she knew it would be a lengthy conversation.
The two of them continued walking while exchanging a few sentences with one another. On the other hand, Nuk and Hansel are about to have their own fair share of conversation.
Hansel tries to catch up with Nuk to strike a serious conversation. Nuk looked as if the world might fall right in his face any minute now. And the closer they got the more relentless he became. Clicking his tongue, dwindling his thumbs, and his eyes that can't seem to keep its sight straight.
Hansel thought that if he won't calm down right now, he might really fall in his face at one point.
And the moment he caught up, Hansel immediately called Nuk from behind. "Nuk!"
"What do you want?"
Nuk turned around, the darkness around them hid his face from Hansel. He felt relieved by it, because at the moment he's trying to organize his thoughts before reaching the camp. And he won't like to add more things to make Hansel worry even more. Just the fact the eldest is no longer with them already proved a heavy topic to talk about.
Nuk's thought about not making Hansel worry only proved fruitless. Just from his shaking voice Hansel immediately knew that he was already on edge. But Hansel also knows that if he will leave things in place, Nuk is bound to fall into one of their schemes. Their Uncles schemes.
That's why he can't help but try and press on some sensitive matters just to make sure he is ready. To be ready for possible scenarios. Hansel can't stop thinking and shake the feeling that there's a chance a problem beyond their own capabilities might occur if they don't plan things ahead.
"Just so you know, she isn't here anymore." Hansel said he knew mentioning 'his' sister won't attract positive feelings but he felt the need to say it.
"You better be prepared."
Nuk could only swallow his grief after what Hansel said he's being reminded of what happened during their expedition. It might come out as a concerned friend from Hansel, but Nuk can't help but to frown at that moment. And in a dash of a second, he felt angry towards himself.
Nuk tried to compress his emotions and focused on the things at hand. Things he needed to do. And the things he might do later on. Knowing that he will later confront his tribe, especially his uncle. Just the thought of him already planning for their demise. He immediately felt weak on his knees like cold water runs down through his back.
But he thought of what his sister told him just before she died. The fight that he might need to face later on, his sister already taught him what to do. Before, it involved them leaving the camp for an expedition but with their faithful encounter their plan change. Zero is now involved in it.
"Hansel. I know."
Nuk came closer to Hansel and tried to smile it off. Yet he knew Hansel won't buy that. But that's all he could do for the moment, just for the sake of reassuring him that everything would be fine.
"Thanks for telling me anyway."
"I know you can handle the others but what about Uncle?"
Hansel saw how Nuk looked at Zero, his eyes screamed confidence and the way he stared towards Zero. Hansel knew something was about to happen. "W-what are you planning?"
"Enough!"
Nuk might have slightly raised his voice, he saw how Hansel looked at him. As if he had an idea what he was about to do. Nuk immediately tried to stop dragging the topic any further.
"L-let's not think about that now."
Hansel felt the line casted in front of him and decided not to over step it, dropping the matter. But his worries won't go anywhere.
Hansel immediately changed the topic; he looked around and saw Zero who kept on raising some questions about the camp. And Dia who looked as if she aged by a decade just by talking to 'him'.
"Okay then how about telling me who's this guy"
What he said managed to lighten the mood around Nuk's face, he saw how his friend's face changed from the 'I'm about to kill somebody' to 'I better take care of him' look.
"For the guy you told to back off, now you want to get close. Classic." Nuk commented.
Hansel felt attacked by what Nuk said, and responded immediately in his defense. "Hey I was off guard okay"
The mood significantly got lighter the longer they talked about Zero, even Hansel found this unsettling. Just for the fact that a single guy could change an entire disposition of a group. It struck him as odd.
"Yeah, yeah." Nuk said to Hansel. He half-heartedly felt convinced by what he said to him.
Hansel walked closer to Zero, who was literally giggling for a moment just as he saw the camp's gate from afar. He felt weird out but still approached him either way.
"So, you are?" Hansel leaned towards Zero. He then saw how Dia decided to slip off the closer he got. He realized then that it's his turn to talk to him.
Zero immediately turned around, he circled around Hansel. His eyes examine him from head to toe. Which almost rubbed him on the wrong side. As he replied to Hansel, Zero slowly walked away.
"I'm zero"
"Now that you know each other, Hansel keep your eye on Zero." Nuk said to Hansel. He noticed Hansel being silent. "What's wrong?"
Hansel wanted to laugh it off, but it only became awkward after he replied to Nuk. "He just left."
Nuk immediately turned around and saw Hansel dwindling his thumb and Zero being gone from his sight.
"What! When?" He spoke. Looking around the area. "Where did he go"
"Towards the entrance." scratching the back of his head, upon realizing what could happen now that Zero is alone. He also remembered the trap accident and can't imagine what he'll do when he reaches the camp.
"Great, I'm exhausted as hell, now I need to catch someone." Nuk sighed and immediately ran after Zero.
"We better hurry before he gets caught up into some mess"
Zero started to run as fast as he could the moment when he felt Nuk and the others started to catch up to him. He turned his head and saw how the others were struggling to catch up to him. He laughed as he ran.
He continued to run from them but didn't realize a sign that he just ran past. A sign indicating to turn right. From afar Nuk saw Zero getting closer to a cliff he tried to run as fast as he could hoping to catch up but it only agitated Zero to run fast even more.
Nuk realized Zero had no intention of stopping anytime soon and started to be worried the closer he got to the edge. He tried to warn him but it only did nothing, Zero didn't listen and continued to run. Nuk's heart started to beat faster out of fear for Zero's safety.
"Whoa, Zero! Watch out!"
"Sorry Nuk can't hear you"
Zero's smile reached from ear to ear as he ran, but before he could continue laughing, he suddenly felt the ground below him disappear. And when he looked down the first thought in his mind was. This is about to get painful.
"AHHH!"
Zero screamed as he fell and his voice slowly disappeared the closer, he got to the ground below.
Nuk stopped just by the cliff and looked around for any signs about Zero but the pitch-black darkness is the only thing he sees.
Hansel and Dia manage to catch up with Nuk, then look around and see no signs of Zero. Hansel felt responsible and started to sweat from the thought of killing somebody.
"Brother, where's Zero?" Dia asked.
Nuk turned around and his eyes screamed dreadfully. "He's gone."
"What happened?" Dia said, her voice started to shake.
"I mean, Zero fell."
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